A Good Cup of Coffee
by Maeve Bran
Summary: Daniel Jackson and Elizabeth Weir, stranded off-world without coffee.


**Title**: A Good Cup of Coffee

**Author**: Maeve Bran

**Rating**: T

**Summary**: Daniel Jackson and Elizabeth Weir, stranded off-world without coffee.

**Disclaimer**: I own neither Stargate SG1 or Stargate Atlantis. I'm just having some unprofitable fun with the 'Verse.

**Spoilers**: This is set after 10.3 "The Pegasus Project" for SG1 and 3.3 "Irresistible" for SGA.

**Notes**: Written for valeriasg1 for the SG1/SGA fic-a-thon. She wanted Elizabeth Weir/Daniel Jackson captivity on a planet with no coffee.

* * *

Dr. Daniel Jackson looked at his companion, hoping he wasn't behaving like her but at the same time sure he was. Dr. Elizabeth Weir, leader of the Atlantis Expedition and intergalactic diplomat, was bouncing and behaving all jittery like a junkie coming off of a high. It was probably a fair assessment, too, since the last caffeine she'd had yesterday morning had worn off and there was no way to get more. Daniel was in a similar state.

The real problem was going to be getting out of this prison hut and back to Atlantis. Once in Atlantis, they could break into Daniel's private stash of Sumatra Mandehling. Daniel had brought a two-month supply with him to the Pegasus Galaxy in case he had to do some extra research after the rest of SG1 returned to Earth. Just thinking about the coffee heightened Daniel's need for the stuff. It was time to apply his not insignificant brainpower to getting out of here.

"So, Dr. Jackson, any ideas?" Elizabeth interrupted Daniel's musings.

"Not yet, Dr. Weir," Daniel couldn't help the bite that crept into his voice at her formal title.

"What was that for?" Elizabeth barely kept from snapping back.

"What was what for?" Daniel asked, puzzled.

"You almost spit out my name like it bugged you. Have I done something to offend you?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Not really. I was just surprised that after all we've been through together you couldn't bring yourself to call me Daniel," he explained.

"All we've been through?"

"Have the events in the Pegasus Galaxy completely eclipsed having to bluff the Goa'uld System Lords while trying to negotiate a treaty with them? Not to mention working to decipher the Antarctic Outpost," Daniel explained flatly.

"I hadn't forgotten, Dr. Jackson," Elizabeth replied softly. "I just thought you might like the formality in front of your team."

"I appreciate the thought, but you didn't have to." Daniel took a deep breath to calm himself, then explained. "I'm sorry for sounding so..."

"Testy?" supplied Elizabeth.

"That's as good a word as any. I think I might be suffering from caffeine withdrawal," Daniel slowly explained. "And I think you might going through it as well."

Elizabeth paused before speaking. "You might be right."

She looked around the hut to assess their situation. It wasn't good. The hut was only really one room with a corner that curtained off, an area that she presumed held the privy. The only other contents of the hut were the two chairs at the table and a double-wide cot with a couple of thin blankets on it. This worried Elizabeth more than a little, as the sun was going down and it was swiftly getting colder. The situation was complicated by the fact that Atlantis wasn't actually expecting them to check in for another three days, so they were on their own.

A middle-aged villager entered with a tray that contained two bowls of a thick stew and a sliced loaf of bread. There was some type of butter-like substance as well, but no knife, just the two wooden spoons. A second villager entered with a bucket and two wooden cups. The whole set-up was obviously geared towards not giving them a something to use as a weapon. The villagers left without saying a word as soon as the food was placed on the table.

"Do think it's safe to eat?" she inquired.

"I don't see why not. They want us to sign their version of the treaty without making any changes in it, so they need us alive," Daniel answered as he sat down and began to eat.

"They are almost as bad as the Genii in negotiations," Elizabeth said as she too sat down to eat.

They finished dinner in silence, each becoming less jittery as they ingested their food. Soon enough the food was eaten and there was nothing left to do. Elizabeth excused herself to use the curtained corner. After a few minutes she returned with a wool-like dress in her hands.

"It seems that they have left more suitable clothes for us," she explained.

"I'll go see what they left for me," Daniel excused himself.

When he re-entered the main area he was wearing a wool-like tunic and pants. He looked almost as at ease in the native garments as he had in the BDUs. Elizabeth wasn't really surprised; with his background in Anthropology that he could blend in with any culture. What did surprise her was that the natural earth tones enhanced his appearance. She had almost forgotten how handsome he was.

"So, are you going to stand there staring at me all night?" Daniel asked.

"What? No. I'm sorry, Daniel," Elizabeth apologized. "So what do we do now?"

"We get some sleep and try to come up with a solution in the morning. I'm too tired to think and I'm beginning to get a headache," Daniel said as he walked over to the cot. Then he removed the slipper-like shoes that had been provided and slipped into bed.

"Um, Daniel..." Elizabeth said, slowly.

"Elizabeth, just come here. It is going to get cold and this is the only place with blankets," Daniel said forthrightly. Then he smiled. ⌠I don't bite."

She chuckled nervously at that as she walked over to the cot. Then she sat down on the edge and removed her shoes. "I'm being silly, I know, but I don't usually get into these kinds of situations."

"Neither do I," Daniel replied.

Elizabeth glanced at him disbelievingly at that, so he explained further. "Shot, stabbed, zatted and killed-- yes. More often than I'd like, actually. But taken hostage or prisoner happens less often than you'd think. Even then, it is usually by a society that has an actual jail, although there was this one time where we were kept in these electrified metal boxes..."

Elizabeth had crawled into bed by that time. She had been carefully clinging to her side of the cot, but she turned to face him as she tried to settle. It was almost a mistake, as the cot was so small that by doing so she was almost on top of him. To cover her embarrassment she asked, ⌠So when was that?"

"Five or six years ago. Sam, Jack and I were captured but it only took Teal'c and a native named Nyan about a day to rescue us," Daniel answered. He noticed how close Elizabeth had gotten and was tempted to back away, but there was no place to go.

Elizabeth rolled carefully to her back and stared into the darkness. It was several moments before either spoke again. It was actually Daniel laughing that broke the silence.

"What?" Elizabeth inquired.

"It's just this situation. I finally get to Atlantis, after several aborted attempts, and I get sent out on a diplomatic mission. Only the mission goes wrong and we get captured," Daniel explained with laughter in his voice.

"That is more sad than funny," Elizabeth said softly.

"If I think about how sad it is, I'll probably cry and that would totally ruin my image," Daniel tried to joke.

"I guess so," Elizabeth replied. They lapsed into silence and then into sleep.

In the morning Elizabeth woke to find herself half lying on top of Daniel. 'This is not good,' she thought as she tried to slowly roll off of him, but his arm was around her waist pinning her to him. 'Really not good.' She lay there a few minutes more before he too woke up.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," Daniel said softly in her ear.

"Good morning, to you too, Daniel," she answered back.

She looked up to his face and saw that he was as embarrassed as she was, and for some reason that made her feel that much better. He slowly moved his arm, and she got up and went to the curtained off corner. When she returned Daniel was out of bed and sitting at the table. Then he took his turn. Breakfast was served in a similar manner to dinner, only instead of stew it was some sort of porridge. The villagers who brought the meal took the dirty dishes from the night before with them.

The morning was more than half over before anyone entered their hut again. The village leader entered and demanded the gate address to Atlantis and insisted that Elizabeth sign the treaty. She refused, of course, and they were again left alone.

They plotted and schemed, but each plan was rejected for one reason or another. The afternoon was almost over when the village leader again made her demand, and again Elizabeth denied her.

Dinner was served and the evening passed similarly to the night before. The only difference was that there was less awkwardness about going to bed. They traded stories about what had happened to each of them over the last couple of years as they lay awake. They talked for a long while, as neither was very tired since they hadn't done much except pace in the hut all day. She told him about the Wraith, and he told her about the Ori.

A couple of hours after they had settled under the covers for warmth, Elizabeth yawned and rolled over to put her back to him. She was woken sometime later by a thrashing next to her.

"Daniel," Elizabeth called as she shook his shoulder.

"Elizabeth?" Daniel asked, puzzled, as he was still fuzzy from his nightmare.

"You were having a nightmare," she informed him.

"I'll say," he said as he sat up next to her.

"Want to talk about it?" she invited.

"Just the usual jumble of bad memories. My parents' deaths. Sha're and Sarah as hosts. Vala being burned alive in the Ori galaxy. The Replicator version of Sam killing me," Daniel said flatly.

Elizabeth didn't know what to say, so she simply put and arm around his shoulders.

"I thought I had conquered the nightmares, but it seams that the more desperate the situation gets the more frequently the nightmares come," Daniel continued. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, just shook me a bit. I'm alright," she replied before giving him a hug. "Will you be able to get back to sleep?"

He returned the hug before answering, "I think so."

They settled back down to try to sleep, but this time Elizabeth didn't stay on her side of the cot. She deliberately curled up to his side and put a hand on his chest.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked.

"I'm just trying to get comfortable," she replied.

"Okay. In that case," Daniel moved the arm closest to her and slid it under her neck. He gently pulled her closer. "That's better."

"Much," she agreed. "Good night, again."

Daniel turned his head to look at her as he echoed her, ⌠Good night. Again."

Turning to look at her brought his lips close to hers. Slowly, he moved just the fraction of the inch required and brushed their mouths together. He had intended to just give her a friendly kiss, but she had other ideas. She deepened the kiss until he brought his other arm around her as well and pulled her even closer. Eventually, they had to separate so they could breathe.

"What are we doing?" Daniel asked breathlessly.

"I don't know about you, but I've been wanting to do that ever since we met," Elizabeth confessed.

"You-- you-- What?" he stammered.

"Ever since you first turned that stellar smile on me I've wanted to kiss you," she explained. "You have no idea the stir you cause among women do you?"

Daniel groaned. "Please don't go there. I get enough of that from Vala."

"I'm sorry," she said as she rolled over to have her back to him.

"Elizabeth, don't." He gently rolled her back to him. "I'm sorry. It's just that Vala has for the last year tried get into my pants. I have tried everything and she hasn't backed down. If you are serious..." He moved in a few fractions of an inch and let her move the last inch. The kiss was every bit as passionate as the last one.

This time, when air became necessary Elizabeth tugged at Daniel's shirt and managed to pull it off. It landed somewhere on the table. Daniel undid the laces on her gown and it quickly came off too. She reached for his pants, but he stopped her and removed them himself. Once they were down to their underwear, she moved in to kiss him again.

It was after breakfast, the next day, when Daniel had his brilliant idea.

"Elizabeth, are there any planets that know how to contact Atlantis but don't have the shield codes? People you can trust?" Daniel asked.

"Yes. About a year and a half ago the Athosians took refuge on a planet called Manaria. We left a radio so they can contact us but not get to the city. Why?" She answered.

"Because I think I have a compromise. I'd propose that you tell these people about that planet, and if the Wraith attack they will be able get help, which is what I think they really want," Daniel explained.

"Try it. I really just want to get home," Elizabeth said tiredly.

Later that morning when the village leader came in to try to pressure them to sign the treaty, Daniel made his alternate proposal. She said she'd think about it and talk to the council. Apparently they agreed, because she returned with a new treaty at lunchtime. This treaty Elizabeth signed. Shortly after that, Elizabeth and Daniel found themselves at the DHD with all their belongings. Elizabeth dialed Manaria and introduced the two leaders. As soon as their former captor returned home, Elizabeth dialed Atlantis and sent her IDC.

Elizabeth and Daniel arrived to see Lt. Col. Sheppard and his team gearing up. The team turned around and went back to their duties in the city while Elizabeth and Daniel were in the infirmary getting the all clear.

"Elizabeth, care to join me for a cup of coffee?" Daniel asked when Dr. Beckett had finished with them.

"Sure, but the stuff in the mess at this time of day could strip the paint from the walls," she joked.

"I wasn't talking about the stuff in the mess. I never travel anywhere without a stash of the good stuff." Daniel informed her.

"Lead me to it," she said, looping her arm through his as he lead her towards his quarters.

Daniel smiled. It was going to be a good night, what was left of it. He was on Atlantis and in good company enjoying a really good cup of coffee. Sometimes the Universe did him some favors.

fin


End file.
